Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-05-10
ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

4
Close ofthc Revolutionary "ar-striHini
Contrasts with the Present.
The second volume of John Bach
/ McMaster's nHistory OF the people o.
the United States from the Revolu-
! ton to The Civil War" is even more
interesting than the first volume. NO
sucb vivid presentation of the life OF
| our ancestors at the beginning OF this
century has ever before been made or
even attempted.
Heis never weary Of contrasting the
rast and the present of American lie,
and many are the striking comparisons
which he is enabled to make in the pro-
rress of his work. Here is an example
which is particularly interesting: ION
the resignation Of Samuel Osgood i'll
1901 the Office OF postmaster-general
was bestowed on Timothy Pickering
So insignificant was the place and SO
light the duties that officer was to
perform that Washington did not
think him worthy OF n cabinet seat.
va shcre is now no other department
~ government in which the people take
10 lively TN interest as in that over
which rhepostmaster-general presides.
The number OF ascn that care whether
the Indians get their blankets and
their rations on the frontier, whether
one company or two are stationed at
Fort Dodge, whether there Is q fleet OF
yunboats in the Mediterranean sea
is extremely small. But the sm never
sets without millions upon millions OF
our citizens intrusting TO the mails let
tiers and postal-cards, money-orders
and packages, in the safe and speedy
delivery of which they are deeply con
,erned. The growth of the postoiiice
in the last ninety years is indeed amaz-
ing. In 1902 there were 264 post
Offices in the country, now there are
1000 The yearly revenue which
they Welded then was S25 900; nowit
is far above S45 900, 900. More time
vas then consumed in carrying letters
ninety miles than now stlflices to carry
them 900. The postage required to
send letter from New York to Sa-
A,mnah was precisely eighteen times as
much as will now send one far beyond
the Rocky mountains, into regions OF
which our ancestors had never heard"
This passage is u very good example
oil Mr.. McMaster's style. 1t will be
seen at glance that all the informa-
zion might have been given with one
hall the number OF words. Wecan al
so see how the contrast has been
heightened by rhetorical devices, but
the passage attracts our attention, 1T
interests ua, we read it, and we proba-
bly, remember it, when il put in amore
condensed and statistical form 1t
rould leave no impression.
Mr.. McMaster has a good deal to
say ut different times about the diff
euities of travel and communication in
the early years OF the republic. This
madenegotiations with foreign govern
ments peculiarly difficult, At the
time the British treaty of 1874 was
under discussion Monroe was minister
MT Paris. The proposed treaty was
naturally most distasteful to the
French government and Monroe was
informed that 'the moment the treaty
wes approved. that moment the di-
rcctory considered the alliance with
america at an end. The next day he
dispatched the news to the secretary
OF state. The letter was still upon
tie sea when Washington proclaimed
The treaty the supremolaw of the Gland,
End aeat copy to the house" Tray
Ell ut home was done by the stage
roach. This "was little bet than q
huge covered box moup. ed on springs.
j. had neither slasswipd3y nor doors
nor etspi rcr closed eidle3. The roof
Yves upheld by cislt posts which rose
tr2Ir the body OF the vehicle, and the
body WEE commonly braast-high." In
tEis uncomfortable COM lVence a man
n,ivht travel sonae four o. five miles
80 hour, Wfth the exception of some
pnria OF Nep Ea gland, the wayside
accommodation which the tray
eier found ee.s miserably bad.
5tr&rs.-S Desc put together in the
'.siag 1oonl and the same bed.
Z 10 led clothes were changed not for
..e,' arrivals but at stated times. All
sorts oil extortions We're practieed up
ON travellers. The genealogist who
studies the history OF American fami-
lies has frequent occasion to note the
compactness OF those families up to
about fifty years ago. For many gem
erations the members of family, with
very few exceptions. will be found to
have lived and died in about the same
place, spreading somewhat in theman
ner OF thrifty plant which slowly in
creases its area rather than that of an
animal which roamed freely about.
M.,,ts 80 hos. g., Il